(Sports Network) - The Atlanta Falcons have waited months to get that sour
taste of defeat out of their mouth and will begin defense of an NFC South
title Sunday against the rival New Orleans Saints in the season opener for
both clubs at the Superdome.

The Falcons had the NFC's No. 1 seed in 2012 with a 13-3 record and blew a
17-0 lead in the conference championship versus the San Francisco 49ers.

Led by Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Ryan, the Falcons had hope that homefield
advantage throughout the playoffs would send the club to its second Super Bowl
appearance. However, poor play by Mike Nolan's defense and no points from the
offense in the second half ended any chance for the Falcons' first Super Bowl
berth since 1998.

Head coach Mike Smith and Ryan got their first playoff wins together versus
Seattle and the Falcons have compiled 36 wins over the past three seasons.
Ryan has helped the Falcons become a perennial favorite to win the NFC South,
something the franchise has accomplished twice in the last three years. The
one more commonly known as "Matty Ice" was entering a contract season and the
Falcons took care of their prized QB with a five-year extension in July.

Ryan's deal is reportedly worth $103.75 million, with the Boston College
product receiving $59 million guaranteed and scheduled to make $63 million
over the first three years of the deal. A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Ryan is
coming off his best statistical season, notching career bests in touchdowns
(32), passing yards (4,719) and completion percentage (68.6) in 2012.

"My goal, and my mindset has been the same since 2008," Ryan said. "It's about
winning a championship. And it's about getting rings. I'm just happy I'm gonna
have the opportunity to do that here."

The future is bright for Ryan and the Falcons as they prepare for another
season with the usual suspects, especially on offense. Roddy White and Julio
Jones are arguably the best wide receiver tandem in the league and veteran
tight end Tony Gonzalez is back for what is expected to be his last season.
Gonzalez knows what's at stake with Atlanta and wanted to be a part of
something special.

Gonzalez took to Twitter to voice his pleasure: "The lure of being on such a
great team and organization, along with unbelievable fan support was too good
to pass up."

With running back and touchdown machine Michael Turner no longer with the
Falcons, the team needed to bolster that area and added veteran Steven Jackson
in the offseason. Jackson cemented his legacy with the St. Louis Rams and is
hoping to ignite Atlanta's stagnant ground attack, which was 29th in rushing
yards a year ago with 87.3 ypg. Much like Gonzalez, Jackson is no spring
chicken and knows his time is coming up. He has been used in all facets during
the preseason and will give defenses trouble in the passing game.

Passing is what the Saints do very well and that is expected to continue with
head coach Sean Payton back on the sidelines.

Due to his alleged involvement in a bounty scandal, Payton was suspended
without pay the entire 2012 campaign. Payton, the first head coach suspended
by the league for any reason, was accused of trying to cover up a system of
payouts on targeted players from opposing teams.

Payton, one of just seven active coaches to lead a team to a Super Bowl
victory, is back with the Saints and excited to resume head coaching duties.

"Just getting back to being out on the field in practice and having a chance
to coach in a regular game, that part of it is exciting," Payton said earlier
this month. "The fans have been great. They get excited about our team,
especially at the start of the season after everything that went on a year
ago. I know our players are excited to play."

The Saints lost their edge a bit without Payton and lost their first four
games of last season en route to a 7-9 finish, the worst since an identical
mark back in 2007. They managed to get their act together by winning five of
the last nine games of the season and Drew Brees had another epic campaign. He
was one of the heavy supporters for Payton and is glad to hear his voice
again.

"I had Sean Payton in my ear for 5 1/2 years," Brees said in late July. "I've
got confidence in whomever is calling the plays, but I'm happy to have Sean's
voice in my ear (again)."

Brees finished first in the NFL last season with 5,177 passing yards, 43
touchdown passes and was tied with 19 interceptions. The veteran quarterback
is the bona fide leader of this team and the Saints would be in deep sludge
without him. Brees, one of the more intelligent signal callers in the league,
still has a bevy of weapons at his disposal in New Orleans' fast-paced style
of offense. The Saints enjoy attacking opponents through the air and, with
Payton back, will compete with Atlanta again for NFC South bragging rights.

New Orleans is expected to have a four or five-game turnaround in 2013 if the
offense can revert back to its balanced ways under Payton. The ground game
finished 25th in the NFL with 98.6 yards per game and it will once again be a
committee approach this season.

The Saints and Falcons split both meetings last season. The Falcons lead the
all-time series with the Saints 46-41, but New Orleans has taken four of five
and 11 of the past 14 matchups in the series.

Atlanta is 1-2 in its last three season openers

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

The Saints deserve a lot of credit for how well they played without their head
coach last season and it can only get better in 2013. However, the Falcons are
the new kids on the NFC South block and are favored to win the division for a
second straight season and a third time in four years.

How will that happen? Ryan needs to continue his rise to the top among
quarterbacks and has the weaponry to do it. White was bothered by an ankle
problem in the preseason and will most likely be lineup with Jones. Jackson is
hoping to make a difference in his first season with the Falcons and will be
used in all facets of Dirk Koetter's system.

"It reminds me of my younger years when I was used more as a receiver out of
the backfield," Jackson said. "It allows me to use more tools in the shed that
I have and possess. It allows me to work on things I haven't done in a number
of years."

Jackson is facing a Saints defense that was simply awful a year ago, finishing
near the bottom in every major category. The Saints were last in rushing yards
allowed (147.6) and total yards allowed (440.1), and 31st against the pass
(292.6) and points allowed (28.4) under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo,
whose defense gave up 7,042 yards last season, the most yards given up by a
team in NFL history.

Spagnuolo is gone and Rob Ryan is the new man in charge. The former defensive
coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys will implement his energetic 3-4 defense,
which consists of position shifts and changes up front. Ryan tries to
intensify pressure and hold up blockers to allow the linebackers and secondary
to make plays. The Saints had just 30 sacks last season, while Ryan's Cowboys
unit registered 34.

It could be a long afternoon for Ryan and the Saints because it will be much
like a track meet on turf in the Crescent City.

Another matchup to keep an eye out for is Atlanta's rookie defensive back
Desmond Trufant. Trufant will be thrown to the wolves right away against Brees
and the Saints' high-powered offense. For Trufant's sake he'll have veterans
Asante Samuel, William Moore and Thomas DeCoud in the secondary to help him
out. But you can be sure Brees will be looking Trufant's way.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Payton said Sunday's game is obviously important not only because it's against
the Falcons, but it signifies the start of a new season. He touched on the
importance of protecting the football, making blocks and how tackling will be
key in his first game on the sidelines since 2011.

The Falcons will make Payton's long-awaited return a challenging one, as Mardi
Gras beads will remain in hand following this NFC South tussle with the
Falcons marching out of the Big Easy victorious.